Advocacy:We are advocates for high standards and expectations of excellence for all students.

Team Members Pledge To:

∑Advocate for ALL students at all times.

∑Ensure effective and efficient operations to prepare ALL students to be successful in a global society.

∑Foster an environment that supports the education and growth of students at their highest levels.

∑Maintain and advance our high quality educational process to retain the esteem and respect of the community.

∑Establish the parameters under which the district operates by creating policy consistent with law, community expectations and educational excellence to achieve goals represented by the strategic plan.

Leadership Team Development:We will strive to work together in a manner that promotes open discussion of issues affecting the planning for continued excellence in the district.

Team Members Pledge To:

∑Work as a group respectful of individual opinions to arrive at collaborative decisions that support and advance the district goals as defined by the strategic plan.

∑Value and respect other member opinions in an effort to collaborate and build team consensus in decision-making.

∑Acknowledge and respect the importance of ideas generated by individuals, groups and the community to support the goals of the district.

∑Encourage open expression of ideas, thoughts and comments.

∑Major decisions will be made by:

®Ensuring that all decisions are consistent with the district mission and strategic plan.

®Ensuring that the leadership team will address all challenges concerning the issue, seek and review appropriate research and data, listen to each other and stakeholders and discuss openly.

®Ensuring that open discussions have taken place among the leadership team and that stakeholders have had ample opportunity to provide input regarding the issue.

®Ensuring that multiple options for implementation are presented for consideration that reflect available resources and represent forward thinking.

®Supporting the conclusion of the team.

Open Communication:The team will strive to be kept and to keep equitably informed of the issues affecting the school district.

Team Members Pledge To:

∑Receive and review the weekly packet sent by the superintendent.

∑Be responsible for receiving urgent information that may be prompted by events that are considered essential for their knowledge.The superintendent or their designee will convey information as quickly as possible to the board president who will help determine how the remainder of the team can best be notified.

∑Inform the board president and superintendent of issues/events that affect the school district in a prompt manner.

∑Maintain confidentiality at all times.

∑Avoid surprises at public meetings by seeking answers to questions prior to the meetings.

∑Understand that all information between team members will be shared with all members.

∑Expect a regular flow of information from the superintendent and board president that is equally distributed.

Handling Controversies, Concerns and Rumors:The team will seek to ensure that all substantial rumors and concerns concerning the school district will be presented to the superintendent and board president for determination on how best to proceed.

Team Members Pledge To:

∑Communicate personal concerns, concerns of others or rumors in a timely fashion to the superintendent and board president.

∑Not engage in or promote rumor but to inform the superintendent to permit investigation that will lead to factual reporting and action plans, if necessary.

∑Look to the superintendent as the official spokesperson for the district.

∑Adhere to the following protocol when dealing with staff or patron concerns or complaints:

®Listen to the individualís concern.

®Explain that the leadership team has established a process for handling concerns.

®Ask the individual if they have discussed the issue with the person immediately responsible.

®Express appreciation to the individual for presenting the concern.

®Encourage the individual to follow the established procedures meeting first with the teacher or coach, then with the principal or athletic director and then with the superintendent if satisfaction is not reached.The school board will be a final opportunity for the individual to have their concern heard.

®Assure the person that the superintendent will be informed of the concern but reaffirm the importance of the chain of command being followed.

Meeting Format:Board meetings will be conducted in an open and orderly fashion that will encourage stakeholder participation.

Team Members Pledge To:

∑Adhere to the agenda planning procedure as specified by Policy BED.

∑Request items for consideration as an agenda item through the board president and superintendent.

∑Utilize the opportunity presented at each regular meeting to seek future consideration of an item for agenda planning for vote the following month.

∑Follow existing procedures regarding public engagement.

Planning, Goal Setting and Accountability:In order to provide the quality educational experiences for our students that our community expects, it is important that we grow and develop as leaders in our school and community.

Team Members Pledge To:

∑Be actively informed of school district issues and trends by attending all meetings and taking responsibility to obtain information when absences are unavoidable.

∑Be committed to a comprehensive planning process leading to mutually acceptable goals with supporting indicators for accountability.

∑Commit to periodic retreats for the purposes of general planning and periodic review of the strategic plan.

∑Work mutually with the superintendent to develop annual performance indicators that are consistent with the district mission and planning.

∑Participate in professional development opportunities such as PSBA activities and other state and national conferences.

∑Serve as board liaison on at least one ad-hoc activity.

∑Review Leadership Operating Principles annually.

∑Be a positive emissary for the district within the greater Mt. Lebanon community.

∑Develop and be involved in a new board member orientation protocol.

∑Periodically review the effectiveness of the Operating Principles.

∑Participate in a Board self evaluation.

∑Take responsibility for completion of all required financial disclosure forms in a timely manner.

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Adopted by the Mt. Lebanon Board of School DirectorsNovember 19, 2007Revised October 18, 2010